


A Familiar Voice

by E_Salvatore



Series: Tagged: TBTP Tumblr Fics [2]
Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: Father/Daughter Feels, Gen, Tumblr Fic, the tiniest hint of Strand/Alex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-19
Updated: 2016-01-19
Packaged: 2018-05-14 21:40:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5759824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/E_Salvatore/pseuds/E_Salvatore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We’ve all wondered how Strand reacted to hearing his wife’s voice after all this time, but how does a father react to hearing his daughter’s voice for the first time in just as many years?</p><p>(Alex plays her interview with Charlie for Strand before it airs on the show.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Familiar Voice

For someone here on a temporary arrangement, Strand’s actually been given a pretty nice office. The fact that it’s nice and quiet and intern-free is definitely a bonus, and better yet is Strand’s unexpected show of hospitality when he tells Alex she’s free to drop by anytime she’s in need of some peace and quiet. 

It becomes a routine for them – she stops by whenever she’s putting together the latest episode, which makes it easier for her to get answers from him whenever she finds herself questioning some of the things they’ve covered this week. Sometimes she drops by after lunch; sometimes they meet up for lunch and head for his office together. More often than not, they end up calling it a day around six or seven and leave for dinner together.

Today though, Alex is in a rush to get back to her office. It’s been a productive day here with Strand but Nic has just called her with a new lead, and suddenly there’s a ton of work waiting for her back at PNWS, possibly even an all-nighter. She’s so caught up in packing up her things and apologizing for canceled dinner plans that she makes it a whole ten steps away from Strand’s office before she backtracks.

“By the way,” She opens the door after a single knock. “I’m meeting Charlie this week. I just…” The surprise in Strand’s eyes gives way to something unidentifiable, and Alex falters for just a second. “I thought you should know.”

Strand nods – a single, controlled dip of his head. “Thank you.”

“Okay,” Alex doesn’t linger – partly because she’s impatient to look into Nic’s new lead, partly because that look in Strand’s eyes makes her feel like she should give him some space. “See you tomorrow.”

“Until tomorrow, Alex.”

.

.

.

.

.

Silence.

Silence that seems to go on for an eternity, punctuating Charlie’s last words from the recording of their interview that Alex has just played for Strand.

Sometimes she forgets that Strand didn’t just lose his wife – he lost his _family_ , his daughter. And God, she feels like an insensitive jerk for not considering how uncomfortable he might feel, to have her around while he listens to his daughter’s voice for the first time in more than a decade.

An apology is out of the question – Strand would just bristle at the fact that she feels the need to apologize for what’s already been done. “Do you…” She starts instead, careful to keep her voice neutral and free from any trace of pity. “Do you need a moment?”

“No,” Strand replies immediately – too fast, in fact. “No, I’m alright. How…” He hesitates for a moment, doesn’t look her in the eye when he speaks again. “How is she? Does she look okay? Happy?” There’s something in his voice – a hint of frustration, Alex thinks. Fair enough, for a guy who has to ask an outsider how his own daughter is.

Alex does her best to sound upbeat. It’s the least she can do for him. “She looks great. Healthy, for sure. I don’t really know her well enough to tell if she’s happy…” She could lie and give the man some small amount of comfort, but the thought of it doesn’t sit well with her.

“She has your eyes,” Alex says instead, blurting out the words without ever consciously deciding to do so.

Strand frowns. “Not unless she was wearing contacts. Charlie has her mother’s eyes.”

 _That Canadian woman_ – and there’s another thing Alex should really ask him about. But now is definitely not the time. “I didn’t mean it that way,” She explains. “I mean… they look like yours. Sharp, intelligent but there’s a weariness in them – in both of you – that hints at something deeper, something heavy.” Well, that doesn’t make it sound like she spends way too much time studying his eyes or anything.

“You know,” Strand smiles, the last thing she would have expected from him. “You have a certain way with words, Miss Reagan.”

Alright, so they’re moving on. She can do that – for Strand’s sake. “Thanks. I took some Creative Writing classes back in college; figured they’d come in handy. I mean, when it comes to radio, the only way to paint a picture is with words.”

“You’re quite the artist, then,” Strand offers, and they share a laugh.

Maybe she should set this aside for now. They can talk about Charlie and those five days in the woods and all of that later, after Strand’s had some time to process all of this. She could ask him about the monastery first – that’s a safe, non-personal topic.

Strand surprises her when he voluntarily shares his thoughts.

“It’s… difficult, sometimes,” He admits quietly. “Knowing that a random stranger – someone on the street, a barista, a sales assistant – gets to see her smile and hear her laugh and be a part of her life, and I… _don’t_.”

Alex can’t help herself – a hand reaches out for one of Strand’s and she laces their fingers together in a silent gesture of comfort and support.  For his part, Strand seems strangely comfortable with the sight of their intertwined hands upon his desk.

“You still have a chance,” Alex reminds him gently, offering him a smile. “She has to come around eventually, right? No one can hold a grudge _forever_.”

It’s a nice thought, but maybe that’s all it is. Charlie has stayed away from him this long, after all – finished high school, made it through college, settled into adult life all on her own. Why would a grown woman come running back to her father after all of that?

Still – Strand appreciates the sentiment. “Maybe,” He tells Alex, and the way she beams at him makes this entire conversation worth it.

And even if Charlie never comes back to him, even if this is all he ever gets from her – now he knows that his daughter is alright, reasonably content and probably safe. That’s one less thing to worry about, thanks to Alex.

“Thank you,” He says, trying to convey his sincerity by gently squeezing the fingers still curled around his own.

Alex doesn’t say _you’re welcome_ , doesn’t ask _for what_. She merely smiles at him and leaves her hand in his a little longer than necessary, and he adores her for it.

**Author's Note:**

> Again: a short Tumblr fic that got out of hand and turned into a thousand words of father/daughter feels. I have so many father/daughter feels for these two, okay?


End file.
